Progressive Metal
United States
Great band from New York formed by brothers Jon/Chris Oliva that started in 1981 under the name of AVATAR, and late in 1983 change the name to SAVATAGE, date when they released his first work "Sirens". At the beginning of their career the musical style was oriented to classic 80´s Heavy Metal, but in 1989 they change a bit his music introducing more keyboards and giving a symphonic/metal sound to his works. "Sirens", "Dungeons Are Calling" and "Hall Of The Mountain King" are the most notable albums of the early period. In 1989, with the change of sound they released "Gutter Ballet" an album with very god reviews that was follow with a long tour, after this, the release two albums more, "Streets" in 1991 and "Edge of Thorns" in 1993, this year was also a tragic date, because this year a drunk driver killed Chris Oliva, one of the founded members, but after this the band returns with a new album "Handful Of Rain", maybe a bit harder than the previous, but with the same symphonic/metal sound follow with the release of a live album in Japan and a Chris Oliva tribute album with songs recorded live from they early period.
1995 was the real change of sound and the beginning of a great concept albums, with the release of "Dead Winter Dead", a concept album about Sarajevo War, with the collaboration of a orchestra on the album, this album was follow with two compilations and in 1997 "The Wake Of Magellan" saw the light, a great concept album about "Fernando De Magallanes" and one of the best or the best symphonic/orchestra/metal albums ever made, this album was also the last album with the Zak Stevens (lead singer since "Edge Of Thorns"), but the band returns in 2001 with another concept album called "Poets And Madmen" with a similar sound to the 1989´s "Gutter Ballet", and the return to vocals of Jon Oliva, original member and lead singer from "Sirens" to "Streets".
Besides SAVATAGE, most of his members play on a side-project called TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, a orchestra-metal band with three albums, first two oriented to Christmas sound and the last one is a concept album about Beethoven music (this one especially recomended). Also exist another side-project by Jon Oliva and guitarrist Chris Cafery called DOCTOR BUTCHER with a more heavy metal sound, with a self-titled album. A great band with a long career, most of his albums are not really prog music, but albums like "Dead Winter Dead" or "The Wake of Magellan" are 5 stars albums in his style!!
ALBUMS:
1998 - THE WAKE OF MAGELLAN
- Zak Stevens / vocals
- Al Pitrelli / guitars, vocals
- Johnny Lee Middleton / bass, vocals
- Jeff Plate / drums
- Chris Caffery / guitars, vocals
- Jon Oliva / keyboards, vocals
1. The Ocean (Instrumental) (1:33)
2. Welcome (2:11)
3. Turns To Me (6:01)
4. Morning Sun (5:49)
5. Another Way (4:35)
6. Blackjack Guillotine (4:33)
7. Paragons Of Innocence (5:33)
8. Complaint In The System (Veronica Guerin) (2:37)
9. Underture (Instrumental) (3:52)
10. The Wake Of Magellan (6:10)
11. Anymore (5:16)
12. The Storm (Instrumental) (3:45)
13. The Hourglass (8:05)
Total Time: 60:06
Look!!(lossless)
